These are notes from a simple introductory course on Church Planting. The majority of the course notes presented here are based upon J. D. Payne’s Planting Apostolic Churches.

1. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

2. Developing leaders/elders, is a vital part of the
work of any CP team.
The CP team help the church to identify
leaders by giving clear instruction on what
qualities , etc., are desired or required.

3. On Paul and Barnabas’s first journey it was the
last thing they did before returning to Antioch,
Acts 14:23
Paul left Titus on Crete to do the same job -
Tit. 1:5

4. Churches are planted without elders in place,
but elders should then be raised up as soon as
possible.What follows is some advice on how
to help a church identify elders:

5. 1. DO NOT DEVIATE (GO AWAY)
FROM WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

6. The Bible has simple guidelines and
expectations for those who are involved in
leadership.Any CP team should follow them.
Think about these passages:

7. ◆ Acts 20:28-35
◆ Eph. 4:11, 12
◆ 1 Tim 3:1-7, 5:17-19
◆ Titus 1:5-9
◆ 1 Pet 5:1-4

8. Look at the believers:
- pray—who from them could serve as leaders?
- explain biblically what is required of pastoral
leadership

9. - Explain servanthood
- Explain the need to show Jesus in your life
- Explain about caring for your family
- Explain caring for, and serving in all areas of
the church.

10. Leaders are ordinary, normal people.
They are worthy of double honour but also are
judged more severely - 1 Tim 5:17, Jas 3:1.

11. Let the elders who rule well be considered
worthy of double honor, especially those who
labor in preaching and teaching.

12. Not many of you should become teachers, my
brothers, for you know that we who teach will
be judged with greater strictness.

13. Leaders are not “better” Christians, they
simply have a different call and giftedness.
The Holy Spirit is the one who makes
people leaders - Acts 20:28.

14. The Bible suggests, but doesn’t say clearly,
that there should be two or more
elders… if there are not enough good
candidates start with one rather than
lower your standards.

15. The church decides who to ask and
approaches them
—but the CP team should help them.
Why do it in this way?

16. The local people will “own” the
decision—it is their choice.

17. It is important in self-governing
and helps them to grow in their
understanding of the Word and
listening to the Spirit.

18. There is a partnership at work, you
are not being paternalistic.

19. 2. DEVIATE (GO AWAY) FROM
CULTURAL EXPECTATIONS

20. No team is culturally neutral - we
all have a bias due to our cultural
background and traditions.

21. A CP team must look at their
expectations for new leaders and
decide how much is biblical
and how much is your own
cultural ideas and
preferences.

22. What in your culture is good, or
neutral? Are your ideas a problem
to the spread of the Gospel or
growth of the church.

23. What you did in the past will not
necessarily work in a different
location.

24. Do you expect new leaders to live up to
the educational and cultural standards of
your home church (and country)?

25. If yes probably the local church cannot
provide its own leaders—other
missionaries have to lead.

26. If there are potential local leaders
what training and education do
they do?

27. Often it is material the CP team
has brought culturally from their
own home church / country.

28. Cultural ideas may be present even
in non-Christianised contexts.

29. Culturally people may think they
know what a pastor should look
like from other sources —these
ideas may or may not be helpful to
the new church.

30. Adapting the words of Jesus,“You
have heard it was said (in this case
about being a pastor/elder/church
leader)…but I say to you…”

31. You correct a wrong model that
has been brought by poor
“Christian” examples.

32. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

33. 1. DO NOT DEVIATE (GO AWAY)
FROM WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
2. DEVIATE (GO AWAY) FROM
CULTURAL EXPECTATIONS

34. 3. SHOW MISSIONARY FAITH—
KNOW WHEN TO TAKE YOUR
HANDS OFF!
3.
___________________________________
___________________________________

35. Payne makes this bold statement:
One of the most shocking passages
in the Bible is Acts 20:17-38—Paul’s
address to the Ephesian elders.

36. Why does he say this? Would you agree or
disagree?

37. Read the passage, examine what it teaches,
what happens, what you might conclude
from it?
Does the passage justify Payne’s
statement?

38. Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the
elders of the church to come to him. 18 And when they
came to him, he said to them:
“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole
time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving
the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials
that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;

39. 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything
that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from
house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks
of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ.[c] 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem,
constrained by[d] the Spirit, not knowing what will happen
to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me
in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.

40. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor
as precious to myself, if only I may finish my
course and the ministry that I received from the
Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace
of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of
you among whom I have gone about
proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again

41. 26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent
of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from
declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Pay
careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in
which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care
for the church of God,[e] which he obtained with his
own blood.[f] 29 I know that after my departure fierce
wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

42. 30 and from among your own selves will arise men
speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples
after them. 31Therefore be alert, remembering that
for three years I did not cease night or day to
admonish every one with tears. 32 And now I
commend you to God and to the word of his grace,
which is able to build you up and to give you the
inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

43. 33 I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. 34
You yourselves know that these hands ministered to
my necessities and to those who were with me. 35
In all things I have shown you that by working hard
in this way we must help the weak and remember
the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said,‘It
is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

44. 36 And when he had said these things, he knelt
down and prayed with them all. 37 And there
was much weeping on the part of all; they
embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being
sorrowful most of all because of the word he
had spoken, that they would not see his face
again.And they accompanied him to the ship.

45. Some context might be helpful:
◆ A new church had been planted - but
Satanic forces are at work trying to
destroy it.
◆ There is opposition from unbelievers.

46. ◆ Former magicians and sorcerers (as
well as people with different ideas about
spirituality) are part of the new church.

47. Paul knows all this and is on a boat
going to Jerusalem, knowing he will never
see these believers again.
So, why didn’t he stay?

48. Paul’s relationship with the church at Ephesus:
◆ Paul spent 3 years in Ephesus,Acts 19
◆ Paul wanted to get to Jerusalem for
Pentecost — so he calls the church elders to
meet him at Miletus,Acts 20:15-17, he doesn’t
even go to them.

49. ◆Paul knew the Spirit told him to go to
Jerusalem
◆Paul clearly had worked hard at Ephesus—
and he had clear prophetic insight into their
future, fierce wolves would come in… vv29-30.
◆Paul wasn’t facing persecution there - there
was no obvious need to leave.

50. ◆ We can assume the elders were prat
of the new church–so they could have
been believers for no more than 3 years.

51. On a human level it appears a strange,
maybe crazy, decision to leave them.
So what good reason can you come
up with to explain Paul’s actions?

52. Payne suggests a simple reason:
Paul was showing, and living
out, a missionary faith

53. This is just like all else he shows us, there
is nothing irresponsible or reckless in
what he does.

54. 3. SHOW MISSIONARY FAITH—
KNOW WHEN TO TAKE YOUR
HANDS OFF!
3.
___________________________________
___________________________________

55. 3. SHOW MISSIONARY FAITH—
KNOW WHEN TO TAKE YOUR
HANDS OFF!

56. This is one of the most difficult things a
CP team has to do.
For God to be in control you have
to let go!

57. The church will go on without you, you
don’t need to be in control of everything.

58. By trying to protect the church from
problems we are often in danger of
creating them—this is because you
make the church dependent upon
you, not upon God.

59. If we look at Paul in this passage we see
that he…
◆ Modelled discipleship 18-19
◆ Taught the whole counsel of God,
20-21, 26-27

60. ◆ Encouraged care for the church
and themselves, 28
◆ Warned them of problems to
come, 29-30

61. ◆ Reminded them of his model, 31,
34-35
◆ Left them in the hands of God, 32

62. Paul never returned to Ephesus—he sent
Timothy, 1 Tim 1:3, and wrote a letter to
them.

63. Pauls model was not faith in the people
but of keeping his eyes on God. Jesus
said, Matt 16:18…

64. New leaders might not be all you want
them to be.
They may do things differently to you.

65. They will have different insights, thoughts
and actions to you.
They might seem a little “rough” or
unfinished—someone probably said that
of you at one time!

66. Fear can be a terrible controller of a CP
teams hearts and minds.
Remember: God loves the church more
than you do.

67. Be faithful, work hard, set an example and
keep in relationship with the new church.
Then exercise missionary faith—then the
new church can run the race it is called to.

68. Question: How will the pastors /
elders be trained?
Answer: By the CP team.
All of your experience is based upon
making disciples and teaching people how
to be disciples.

69. Decide how you will teach them, make
sure you teach them the whole counsel of
God, and that your teaching focusses on
helping them to walk in obedience to God.
Knowledge is not enough!

70. Equip leaders with belief, passion and skills
for the job they are to take on.
It is best to train them in their own
cultural situation.

71. Question: When is someone
ready to serve as an elder?
Answer: There is no timeline for
this—

72. —you should look prayerfully at the lives
of peopled ask if they fulfil the biblical
requirements.Will they serve, are they
committed, will they act to equip others,
do they get on with the people?

73. Question: What do we do about
elders making mistakes?
Answer: Everyone makes
mistakes!

74. A mistake doesn’t disqualify you from
service.Work out how much freedom you
give to the trainee elders so that they do
not destroy themselves or the church. Be
ready to correct problems.

75. Question: Do the pastors need to
be paid for their work in the
church?
Answer: No!
But a day may come when the church
chooses to pay them

76. Question: Is the CP teams work
finished when elders are in place?
Answer: No!

77. You will partner and mentor the church
leaders—they still require your help, (you
have less direct influence in the church).
The CP team should work in leadership
and theological training and development.

78. Have a short elder development process
—training for the immediate questions
and needs for the new pastors.

79. Then have a time of equipping, consider
using a monthly mentoring time for
accountability, teaching, encouragement
and prayer.

80. Question: Should Paul and his team
have just sent to Jerusalem or
Antioch and brought experienced
believers into the cities where they
planted new churches?
Answer: No!

81. In the KOG it is expected that a new
church will grow and develop its own
leaders—people from the local people.
Any elders coming in from outside would
be allowable but unusual, although not
unbiblical.

82. SUMMARY

83. Ephesians 4:11-16:Appointing pastors / elders is a
vital part in the life of any church.
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists,
the shepherds[a] and teachers,[b] 12 to equip the
saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body
of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature
manhood,

84. to the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children,
tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about
by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by
craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather,
speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in
every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

85. 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held
together by every joint with which it is equipped,
when each part is working properly, makes the
body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
If we look at these verses what do
we see that the result of the
ministry of pastors should be?

86. We see shepherds/pastors/leadership
building up and equipping people.
Their ministry should result in the
maturing of men and women in serving
God.

87. The first leaders in a church are important
- they set a course for the future. In this
we must make sure we are biblical, are
ready to go against cultural expectations
and will demonstrate a missionary faith.

88. final session:
Developing your
strategy

89. The End